While it’s easy for most of us to see why “The Hills” is so addictive, I’m a little nervous to talk up my other current TV obsession:

Nerdy but cute Travel Channel hostess Samantha Brown.

Samantha Brown hosts “Great Hotels” and “Passport to Europe,” two of TC’s best programs. I know that some people find half hour upon half hour of peering through the doors of fancy hotels totally mind-numbing, but I CANNOT GET ENOUGH OF IT! And just when I thought “Great Hotels” had visited just about every hotel I could ever wish to see, Samantha Brown started hosting “Passport to Europe,” where she toured a different European city every episode.

But the real draw of these shows isn’t the concepts as much as Ms. Brown herself. She is reminiscent of a really likeable Midwestern librarian. She’s definitely nerdy, but also smart, friendly and charmingly confident. She asks all the “stupid questions” that tourists want to know about certain cities. She discusses hotel bedding and bathroom size, which is actually really important in a good hotel room! She’s like everyman’s travel companion, and so watching her is just pure fun. Her jokes are sometimes obvious and she’s not what you’d call “cultured,” but there’s something so comfortable about her demeanor. She’s kind of like the Rachel Ray of travel.

I checked her out on Wikipedia, and she used to do musical theater. She’s 38 years old and married to a computer systems specialist. I love her! Next up on the agenda, “Passport to Latin America,” which already promises to be great!